Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular Economy
The increasing scarcity of natural resources, worsening global climate change, environmental degradation, and rising demand for food are forcing the biotechnology and plastics industries to seek and apply circular economy models that would lead to a sustainable transition in the production and use o...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Photonics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/8/883 |
| _version_ | 1797583459364896768 |
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| author | Andreja Abina Tjaša Korošec Uroš Puc Aleksander Zidanšek |
| author_facet | Andreja Abina Tjaša Korošec Uroš Puc Aleksander Zidanšek |
| author_sort | Andreja Abina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing scarcity of natural resources, worsening global climate change, environmental degradation, and rising demand for food are forcing the biotechnology and plastics industries to seek and apply circular economy models that would lead to a sustainable transition in the production and use of bioplastics. Circular economy models can improve the economic productivity of bio-based plastics and have a positive impact on the environment by reducing conventional plastic waste and the consumption of petrochemical feedstocks for plastic production. In addition, some agricultural wastes that have the potential to be used as bioplastics can be reused. Terahertz (THz) systems are already used in the plastics and rubber industries for non-destructive testing, detection, imaging, and quality control. Several reports have highlighted the potential applications of THz spectroscopy and imaging in polymer analysis and plastics characterisation. This potential is even greater with chemometric methods and artificial intelligence algorithms. In this review, we focus on applications that support the transformation of the biotechnology sector to the circular economy, particularly via the transition from conventional plastics to bioplastics. In this review, we discuss the potential of THz systems for the characterisation and analysis of bioplastics and biopolymers. The results of previous studies on biopolymers in the THz frequency range are summarised. Furthermore, the potential of using artificial intelligence approaches such as machine learning as advanced analytical methods in THz spectroscopy and imaging, in addition to the conventionally used chemometric methods, is discussed. The results of this review highlight that THz technology can contribute to closed technological circles in important areas of biotechnology and the related plastics and rubber industries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:38:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0cb66f790f5b4374945363e87d69ec90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-6732 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:38:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Photonics |
| spelling | doaj.art-0cb66f790f5b4374945363e87d69ec902023-11-19T02:39:09ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322023-07-0110888310.3390/photonics10080883Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular EconomyAndreja Abina0Tjaša Korošec1Uroš Puc2Aleksander Zidanšek3Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaJožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaJožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaJožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaThe increasing scarcity of natural resources, worsening global climate change, environmental degradation, and rising demand for food are forcing the biotechnology and plastics industries to seek and apply circular economy models that would lead to a sustainable transition in the production and use of bioplastics. Circular economy models can improve the economic productivity of bio-based plastics and have a positive impact on the environment by reducing conventional plastic waste and the consumption of petrochemical feedstocks for plastic production. In addition, some agricultural wastes that have the potential to be used as bioplastics can be reused. Terahertz (THz) systems are already used in the plastics and rubber industries for non-destructive testing, detection, imaging, and quality control. Several reports have highlighted the potential applications of THz spectroscopy and imaging in polymer analysis and plastics characterisation. This potential is even greater with chemometric methods and artificial intelligence algorithms. In this review, we focus on applications that support the transformation of the biotechnology sector to the circular economy, particularly via the transition from conventional plastics to bioplastics. In this review, we discuss the potential of THz systems for the characterisation and analysis of bioplastics and biopolymers. The results of previous studies on biopolymers in the THz frequency range are summarised. Furthermore, the potential of using artificial intelligence approaches such as machine learning as advanced analytical methods in THz spectroscopy and imaging, in addition to the conventionally used chemometric methods, is discussed. The results of this review highlight that THz technology can contribute to closed technological circles in important areas of biotechnology and the related plastics and rubber industries.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/8/883terahertz spectroscopyterahertz imagingcircular economybiopolymerbiotechnologybioplastics |
| spellingShingle | Andreja Abina Tjaša Korošec Uroš Puc Aleksander Zidanšek Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular Economy Photonics terahertz spectroscopy terahertz imaging circular economy biopolymer biotechnology bioplastics |
| title | Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular Economy |
| title_full | Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular Economy |
| title_fullStr | Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular Economy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular Economy |
| title_short | Review of Bioplastics Characterisation by Terahertz Techniques in the View of Ensuring a Circular Economy |
| title_sort | review of bioplastics characterisation by terahertz techniques in the view of ensuring a circular economy |
| topic | terahertz spectroscopy terahertz imaging circular economy biopolymer biotechnology bioplastics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/8/883 |
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